Replacement
by Mithril
Summary: Jareth makes his favorite uncle a little favor a Labyrinth Christmas tale


Disclaimer: 

Disclaimer: Labyrinth Universe and Characters are from Jim Henson.

No copyright infringement is intended. The idea is mine.

Author:Mithril (perretta@entelchile.net) December 2000.

Title:Replacement

Rating:PG-13

Summary:Jareth makes his favorite uncle a little favor...

Replacement

One afternoon, in the Underground...

The Goblin King was in his study, seated behind his desk, reviewing some boring papers, when suddenly, he was interrupted by a knock on his door.

"Come in," he said, grateful for the momentarily distraction, lowering the papers and leaving them over his desk.

The door was opened and an excited Hoggle entered, he had a wide smile on his face and his eyes were shining.

"Yes, Howard?" Jareth asked with a bemused raised eyebrow, deliberately calling him by the wrong name.

"It's Hoggle!" the goblin exclaimed, annoyed, but at the king's sudden warning stare, he cleared his throat and bowed his head. "The name is Hoggle, Sire," he repeated in a very respectful tone.

Jareth rolled his eyes. "Well... Hoggle?" he asked, leaning back on his chair and folding his arms across his chest.

Hoggle looked at him again and he seemed to beam with joy. "He is here!"

"Who... is here?" Jareth asked cautiously, don't liking the dwarf's blissful expression.

"Lord Noelius!" the goblin answered, almost jumping.

"My uncle?" Jareth asked, rising from his seat in surprise.

"Yes, your Majesty," Hoggle replied. "He is waiting for you in the throne room."

A puzzled Jareth took a hand to his chin. "I wonder... what would Noelius--" He abruptly kept quiet as something occurred to him. He opened one of the desk's drawers and took out a human calendar. His eyes widened when he saw the date... December 24Th... it was Christmas Eve!

"How strange," Jareth muttered and, without another word, he disappeared, missing the oddly mischievous twinkle in Hoggle's eyes.

******

A second later, the Goblin King materialized in the throne room and confirmed Hoggle's words. He shook his head and let out a sigh when he saw his uncle seated in his 

-HIS- throne, telling a story to twenty mesmerized goblins seated at his feet.

Jareth waited a couple of minutes and, as no one seemed to notice him, he cleared his throat. Immediately the goblins turned to him, and, to the king's annoyance, all of them had the same blissful expression that Hoggle had.

"Would you mind?" Jareth asked seriously.

"Hello, boy," Noelius greeted him with a smile. Then he lowered his gaze to his now stiffened audience. "Leave us now, little ones, but I promise I shall finish the story later." 

As one, the goblins clapped and hurried out of the room.

Jareth rolled his eyes and returned his attention to his uncle. Like him, he was an immortal and powerful Fae. He was tall and strong built, but he had the natural grace of their kind. His silver hair reached his broad shoulders and he would have been a bit scaring if it were not by his mischievous green eyes and by his ever-present grin. 

"Noelius," Jareth greeted him in his deep voice.

"Glad to see you, boy," his uncle said with a wide smile on his face. "I hope you do not mind me using your throne," he added with a wink.

Unable to stop himself, Jareth smiled back. It had been always the same; he had never been able to remain serious in front of the older Fae. "What can I do for you?" he asked then, looking at the older Fae with a raised eyebrow.

Noelius gazed innocently at the king. "Why do you asked that boy?" he asked in a mocking hurt tone. "Do I need a reason to visit my favorite nephew?"

"I am your only nephew," Jareth said, amused in spite of himself. "Besides, considering this time of the year... I believe I am right to be suspicious. Am I not?"

Noelius' eyes shone and he smoothed his elegant green jacket. "I admit you are partially right, boy. I do need a favor," he said.

"And what... would that be?" the Goblin King asked suspiciously, folding his arms across his chest.

"Well..." Noelius began to say with a hint of mischief. "I need you to... replace me tonight."

"What!" Jareth exclaimed, his jaw dropped to the floor.

"You heard me correctly, boy. I just cannot fulfill my duty tonight."

"Why! What happened!" Jareth almost barked.

Noelius shrugged. "I fell from my horse and you know that a healing spell would take too much time," he explained, and to confirm his words, he materialized a cane and then rose from the throne. "I am fine, but I have some problems to walk," he added, slowly approaching the younger man.

"But... But... Why me?" Jareth asked, doing his best to ignore his uncle's pleading eyes and painful walk.

"Because only you can reorder time... and I trust you. Please, Jareth," he begged, almost desperate. "Children cannot be disappointed just because I fell from my horse!"

Jareth blinked in surprise. His uncle never called him by his name. That proved how important the situation was for him. Maybe he should-- No! Jareth silenced his conscious and shook his head. He was the Goblin King! He had a reputation to maintain!

Jareth stood straight and shook his head. "It is not my fault that you have this... hobby of giving presents every Christmas Eve, Noelius."

"It is not a hobby!" Noelius stated, briefly showing the legendary family's bad temper, but then, he smiled again. "It is a honor and a privilege to make little kids happy..." he paused for a moment. His grin faded. "It saddened me to admit that for the first time in centuries, I shall not be able to do it... I... I can already picture their disappointed faces..."

"Oh, Come on! Humans do not even believe in you any more," Jareth blurted, but immediately regretted it at the hurt -and slightly cold- look his uncle gave him. "I did not mean to say it like that. I--"

"You are wrong. They do believe in me. Here, read this letter," Noelius interrupted him, taking a folded paper out from his pocket and handing it to his nephew.

Jareth opened it, and could not help but smile at the clearly childish handwriting. He began to read in a loud voice: 

__

"Dear Santa..."

"Santa?" he repeated, amused, raising his gaze.

Noelius chuckled. "I have many names among them. Keep on reading, boy."

Jareth did so:

_"Dear Santa,_

How are you? I hope you are okay.

My name is Mandy and I am 7 years old. I think I have been a good girl

this year...

(Well... without counting the time I yelled at Paul, but he said something 

nasty about you...)

I just want to tell you that I don't want anything for me, but I want 

something for my mom.

You'll see... she is beautiful and kind and she knows these great stories

(of unicorns and kings) and she is the best mom of all! But she is alone...

Can you, please, please, bring her... a friend? 

Someone that can make her smile...

I know you can!

I love you!

Bye,

Mandy

Ps: 1- Say hi to Mrs. Claus.

2- There will be chocolate cookies waiting for you. My mom and I will make them. (My mom can bake delicious things too!)"

Once finished, Jareth returned the letter to his uncle. "Mrs. Claus?" he asked with a bemused raised eyebrow.

Noelius shrugged innocently. "Do not ask me that. For an odd reason, they think I am married. Anyway, what do you think about Mandy? Adorable, is she not?" he asked, carefully putting the paper in his pocket again.

"Yes," Jareth admitted with a tender look in his eyes, but then he shook himself and recovered his kingly mode. "Well, I still do not want to do it. In the case you have forgotten it, I am the Goblin King. I turn children into goblins. I do not give them presents."

"Oh, come on, boy," Noelius said, a bit exasperate by now. "You and I know that not a single child has been turned into a goblin since you are the king. You only like to use your labyrinth to scare and seduce beautiful girls... especially that lovely brunette that--"

"Stop!" Jareth interrupted him, unable to hide his sadness... and annoyance.

Noelius looked kindly at Jareth for a moment and then patted his arm. "Please, boy, help me," he said, meeting his nephew's eyes, "Please," he insisted and, to the king's astonishment, he started... to cry.

That was simply too much for the usually bad tempered Fae. He let out a deep sigh and, completely defeated now, he finally nodded. "Okay, okay, I shall do it... but if you dare to tell someone of this, I swear that--"

"Take it easy, boy," a now smiling Noelius interrupted him, amused. "I promise your reputation as the cold hearted Goblin King will remain unchanged."

Jareth only snorted.

At his nephew's annoyed stare, Noelius was tempted to tease him further, but wisely decided against it. The truth was that he could not believe that Jareth had actually accepted to replace him. "Thank you, Jareth," he said sincerely.

Jareth slightly blushed and, embarrassed by his uncle's grateful expression, he went a step back and cleared his throat. "Just... Just do not mention it," he said.

The older Fae chuckled and nodded. Then, he became serious, closed his eyes and took a hand to his chest. After a couple of seconds, a crystal sphere, similar to Jareth's, materialized, floating before him.

"What is that for?" Jareth asked, don't liking the sudden impish glow that had appeared in his uncle's eyes.

"Well, you really do not think you can go like that, with tights and a pirate shirt, do you? I too have a reputation to maintain," he answered and, before that a startled Jareth could say a word, Noelius threw him the sphere. Immediately, the Goblin King found himself in the official Santa Claus' suit, hat and belt included.

"Perfect!" Noelius exclaimed, "now, if only we add you twenty kilos and a long, white beard, you--"

"Do not even think about it," Jareth interrupted him in a warning tone. "It is not my fault that you choose to show yourself as a fat, old man. I shall tolerate this ridiculous suit, but nothing else. Understood, uncle Noelius?"

"Well, I guess the sleigh and the reindeers are out of discussion, then," he said, a bit disappointed.

"Uncle Noelius," Jareth said seriously.

"Okay, okay, boy, but you will need this," Noelius said, materializing another crystal and giving it to him. "There you will find the name, the address and the gift for each child, please do not mix them up."

Jareth rolled his eyes at the warning and nodded. "I shall not make any mistakes," he soothed his uncle. "Now, if you excuse me, I have some work to do," he added a bit sarcastically and he was about to leave, when something occurred to him. "What about Mandy's gift?" he asked.

Noelius smiled sadly and sighed. "I am afraid I cannot make that kind of present... but do not worry, I did put a beautiful doll for her and a special gift for her mother. Now go, boy, and remember, no one should see you."

"Of course not!" Jareth exclaimed. For nothing in the world he wished someone saw him wearing that ridiculous red suit. Without another word, the new 'Santa Claus' left.

Once he was gone, Noelius' grin widened and his eyes twinkled mischievously. With a wave of his hand, he vanished the cane and laughed.

"Do you think it will work, my Lord?" a voice suddenly asked from behind him.

Still laughing, Noelius spun around. "Of course, Hoggle. Santa Claus never will disappoint a child... especially his only nephew."

Hoggle just smiled in return, mirroring the Fae's impish gaze. 

******

At that very moment, back on Earth...

"Here is the flour, mom," Mandy said to her mother, as she helped her in the kitchen.

"Thank you, angel," her mother said with a grin. "Now you can add the chocolate," she added.

Mandy stepped over a chair to reach the working table, and happily complied. "Do you think Santa will like the cookies?" she asked with a serious expression on her lovely face.

Her mother looked tenderly at her child and her grin widened. "Of course he will... but if he is not hungry, we can always give them to grandpa."

"Yes, grandpa loves chocolate cookies," Mandy agreed between giggles.

Her mother giggled too.

******

The night passed quickly for the busy Goblin King and finally, he reached his last destination, Mandy's house...

With a colorful present in his hand, a tired Jareth materialized in what appeared to be a living room. Doing his best to ignore the tempting couch, he approached the Christmas tree and carefully left the gift under it. "Thanks God, it is over," he whispered, relived. He had never imagined his uncle's... hobby would be so exhausting. "You really owe me a big one, Noelius," he muttered, stretching his arms. Then, he remembered the gift for Mandy's mother. He extended his hand and a glowing sphere materialized in his palm. A second later, the crystal turned into a small box. He was about to put it under the tree too, when the lights unexpectedly went on. Startled, Jareth spun around, only to find a cute little girl with curly black hair and blue eyes -and a green pajama- staring suspiciously at him. 

Unable to stop himself, he smiled. "Good night, Mandy," he greeted her.

Mandy smiled for a second, but she became serious again. "Who are you?" she asked, tilting her head.

Jareth blinked at the question. "Well, isn't that obvious? I am Santa Claus," he answered, mentally vowing that no one shall ever know that he actually said that.

The child shook her head and took her arms to her hips. "No. You are too thin and you don't have a beard. I bet you don't even have a sleigh!"

Jareth looked at her with a raised eyebrow. Why was her obstinate expression so... disturbingly familiar?

"Who are you and what did you do with Santa?" she repeated, frowning, clearly annoyed.

Jareth seemed amused for a second, but then he sighed. Why did this have to happen in the last house? He cleared his throat and smoothed his red jacket. "You are right," he admitted. "I am not... Santa... but I am his nephew."

Mandy stared at him for a while, as if she were deciding if she should believe him or not. After a moment, her gaze softened and a concerned look crossed her face. "Is he sick?" she asked.

"No, he is fine, but his leg hurts a little," Jareth soothed her, briefly wondering why this child was so familiar to him.

Mandy smiled and finally approached him. "What is your name?" she asked, looking up at him with wide blue eyes.

"I am Jareth, the Go--" he abruptly stopped to continue a second later. "Santa's replacement," he finished, rolling his eyes.

Mandy nodded and picked up a dish that was over the nearest table. "Cookies?" she offered him.

Jareth smiled, surprised, and took one. "Thank you," he said. "I also have something for you," he added, giving Mandy her present.

Mandy thanked him with a charming grin, but then she looked around, puzzled. "Where is my mom's gift?" she asked innocently.

Jareth looked intently at her and knelt, so to be at her eye level. "Mandy, sometimes we just cannot--"

He stopped as he heard quick footsteps approaching and a startled -almost frightened- gasp.

Assuming that it must be Mandy's mother, Jareth raised his gaze... and simply froze.

"Sa... Sarah?" he managed to ask after a tense silence.

"Ja... Jareth?" Mandy's mother whispered back.

Mandy blinked and looked at her mom and then at Jareth. "Do you know each other?" she asked. "Mom?"

"No," Sarah answered.

"Yes," Jareth said at the same time.

They stared at each other in shock.

"Yes..."

"No..."

******

Mandy just looked at them, confused and, after ten minutes of the Yes and No thing, she rolled her eyes. It was clear for her that her mom knew Jareth and that he-- 

Suddenly it hit her. What if he was... her mom's... gift? Smiling mischievously, she silently left the room. 

******

"No, I don't..." Sarah said, but abruptly kept quiet when she noticed her child was gone. 

"Sarah, are you all right?" Jareth asked then, taking the chance, as she was finally quiet.

Sarah let out a sigh. "What are you doing here, Jareth?" she asked tiredly. 

He slightly blushed in embarrassment and rose from the floor. "Well... isn't that obvious?" he answered, indicating his suit and asking her the same question he had asked Mandy.

Sarah blinked. Now that the shock of seeing him again had partially passed, she noticed his... outfit. "Santa... Claus?" she asked in disbelief and, to Jareth's great annoyance, she burst into laughter.

"Enough of this!" Jareth exclaimed and, in a second, he was his old self again, black tights and pirate shirt included.

"I am... sorry," Sarah managed to say between her laughter. "It's just that I..."

She burst into laughter again.

Jareth stared at her and, slowly, his serious façade began to melt away, until he could not hold it any longer. He started to laugh with her.

Ten minutes later, they finally calmed down and sat on the coach. It was clear for them now that they were enemies no more.

"Santa Claus?" Sarah asked again.

"Mandy?" Jareth shot back.

Sarah leaned back on the coach and smiled. "Yes, she is my angel. It happened a year after... your Labyrinth. I met this guy and everything seemed perfect... for a couple of weeks. To make the story short, we realized we didn't have a future together, so we decided to end our relation before going to far... So, he walked away, but... he did leave something for me to remember him... Mandy."

"Does he... know?" a surprised Jareth asked.

Sarah shook her head. "No. When we decided to part, we did mean it. But I am not repented. Amanda is the best thing that could have happened to me. Your turn," she said.

Jareth shrugged. "Santa Claus is in fact a Fae, my uncle Noelius. He could not come tonight so..."

"You replaced him," Sarah finished for him, the laughter threatening to come out again.

"Well, yes," Jareth said and, as he saw her, so beautiful and being so sincere with him, he could not understand why he had not come to her... before... 

Suddenly, he opened his eyes wide and stiffened.

"What is it?" Sarah asked.

Jareth smiled. "I cannot believe it!" he exclaimed.

"What?" Sarah insisted, puzzled.

He turned to her and, to her surprise, he held her hands. "We have been set up, Sarah."

"Set... up?" she asked, looking at their joined hands and then at his handsome face.

"Yes," he answered, meeting her eyes. 

Sarah blushed under his stare and now understood why her relationship with Mandy's father had not worked. It was just that he was not... Jareth. 

She smiled shyly. "Do you believe... in second chances, Goblin King?" she asked softly.

"Now I do," he said and before that Sarah could say another word, he leaned forward... and kissed her. 

Once they parted -a few minutes later- Jareth rose and took a small box from his pocket. "My uncle sent you this, but I believe it is I who must give it to you," he said, offering the box to her.

She took it and when she opened it, she gasped in surprise. It was a ring with a delicate crystal sphere. "It is beautiful," she whispered in awe.

"Yes it is," Jareth said, meeting her eyes. Then, a soft music could be heard and, to Sarah's astonishment, her sleeping gown turned into a beautiful dress. He extended his arm to her. "Shall we dance... my Queen?"

*****

Unnoticed, a small child closed the living room's door and, truly happy, she went to bed. "Thank you, Santa."

******

"You are welcome, Mandy," Noelius said, as he held a crystal sphere and watched the Goblin King and his future Queen dancing a waltz.

"Merry Christmas, boy."

Fin


End file.
